Who is O P Sharma?

O P Sharma is one of three MLAs from the BJP who got elected during the Delhi Legislative Assembly Election in 2015.

BJP MLA O P Sharma did his graduation from Satyawati College where he also served as college president. (File photo)

Om Prakash Sharma, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Vishwas Nagar in Delhi, is in news for causing an uproar in the Delhi assembly with his alleged derogatory remarks against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, prompting Speaker Ram Niwas Goel to refer the matter to the privileges committee for examination, investigation and report. Sharma’s remarks were expunged from House records.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal slammed Sharma and the BJP, saying the words used formed part of a “design to divide India” on religious lines, to which Sharma said he did not require any “certificate of patriotism” from Kejriwal who had “questioned the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army and also sided with students of JNU who raised anti-national slogans”.

“I used the term terrorist and will use it again. I used it in the context of him creating an atmosphere of terror in the House by shouting down the voice of the Opposition. Is this not a kind of terrorism?” Sharma said.

Born on June 23, 1964 in the staff quarters of corporation employees at Kashmere Gate, Sharma did his graduation from Satyawati College where he also served as college president. Sharma also contested the Delhi University students’ union election and was an executive member of the team which was headed by Arun Jaitley. The 54-year-old leader is the eldest of the three sons. His father worked with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

Sharma is one of three MLAs from the BJP who got elected during the Delhi Legislative Assembly Election in 2015. He was the only party MLA who had retained his seat from 2013 election from Vishwasnagar constituency beating AAP’s Atul Gupta by a margin of 15,000 votes.

Sharma has switched many professions since he started his career. Beginning his political stint from Delhi University, the BJP MLA worked as an employee of the municipal corporation later. He also served as an inspector in the house tax department after the death of his father for around a year. He quit the job soon and started taking care of sweets shops owned by his family. But, having a deep interest in politics made him join the BJP later.

In 2016, Sharma was suspended from two sessions over his use of certain disparaging remarks against AAP’s Chandni Chowk MLA Alka Lamba. He was also arrested following an attack on journalists and a CPI leader outside Patiala House Courts where former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar was being produced.